Picture frame



Feb. 6, 1940. w, m 2,189,521

PICTURE FRAME Filed July 31, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. Vl/yd/f'M470 BYim P ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 6, 1940. w. M. KING PICTURE FRAME Filed July 31, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet ,2

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 PICTURE FRAME Wyatt M. King, South Haven, Mich,assignor to S. E. (iverton Company, South Haven, Mich.

Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,610

6 Claims.

This invention relates to picture frames has for its objects:

First, to provide a new and improved picture frame covered'with leatheror the like.

a Second, to provide such a frame which has a desirable finishedappearance but which can be produced inexpensively.

Third, to provide such a frame in which strips of leather may beemployed to cover a base frame and in which the joints between theleather strips are fully concealed.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to details and economies ofconstruction and operation will appear from the description to follow.

Preferred embodiments of my invention are illusand trated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a frame made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a .view of the wire employed in the picture frame shown inFig. 1 with portions broken away.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 5 is a detail back View of the frame showing the constructionthereof with certain parts eliminated.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 showingthe method of attaching metal strip members to overlie the joints in theleather covering on the frame.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of one of the metal members used toconceal the joints between the leather.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a different form of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line S-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a back View of the frame shown in Fig. 8 showing the methodof attaching the wire.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the wire.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of a corner of a different form of myinvention.

My improved picture frame i consists of a rectangular base frame 2 madeof wood or other suitable material. rabbeted at the back as at 3. Thewire 4 consists of a rectangularmetal framelike member which fits withinthe aperture 5 0f the frame and has ears 6 extending from the cornersthereof to fit in the rabbetted portion 3. Fitted in the rabbettedportion 3 is the glass'l, the picture 8 and a suitable backing 9. Afurther rabbeted portion it in the back of the frame is engagement withthe face of the frame.

covered by a member l l which is fastened to the rear of the frame whichforms a slide to receive the back l2 of the frame which has theprojecting edge is which fitsslidably in the groove beneath the memberIf as is common in the ,picture frame art.

The base frame 2 is covered with aplurality of strips i l of leather orother flexible material suitable for covering the frame, which cover theface of the base frame and are mitered to form miter joints at thecorners. adhesively secured to the base frame.

The base frame is provided with apertures 15 extending therethrough atthe joints of the strips of leather or the like and at the back 'of theframe the apertures are countersunk as at IE ;on the face of the frame,and overlying the. joints between the leather strip are metal stripmembers l'l. These members are formed of relatively soft metal and areshaped to fit the surface contour of the frame andto overlie the jointsbetween the leather; Their ends l8 extend downwardlyso as to givecompleteconcealment of the joint and pins l9 extend from the backsthereof at points spaced between the ends. The pins 19 are screwthreadedas indicated at 20 to receive nuts 2! which have cooperatingscrew threads and are provided with apertures 22 to fit a spannerwrench.

The metal strip members I! are formed of relatively soft metal and areinitially formed to substantially conform to the surface contour-of theframe. The ends are bent'slightly down, however, so that when the metalmembers are placed on the frame preparatory to attachment,

they bow up slightly as indicated in Fig. 6. Thepins l9 fit through theapertures [5 in the base frame'and the nuts 21 are screwed down intoengagement with the back of the base frame and into the countersunkportions Hi to pull the metal strip member I! down into tight fittingThe pins l9 are ordinarily. made of a'le'ng'th greater than necessary toextend through the apertures IE to facilitate application of the nuts 2!thereto when the metal strip members are being installed. After themetal strip meme hers have been pulled down into tight engagement withthe face of the frame, the projecting endsmay be out off. In Fig. 6 Ishow the pin before the end has been cut off, whereas in Fig.4 the endhas been out off. 7 v The metal members I? are made to harmonize withthe wired; and to extendtherefrom over the ill The strips 14 are pjoints between the strips of leather or the like and to formsubstantially continuations of the wire, giving a very pleasingappearance.

I have found that by employing the above described construction, it ispossible to make use of strip leather which avoids the waste attendantupon cutting a complete frame cover from a single piece of leather. Ihave also found that it is easier to fit the leather over the base frameif the strips are employed.

'Fy employing the projecting pin l9 and the nuts, I am able to pull themetal strip member l1 down into tight engagement with the face of theframe and I can install these members quite easily and can adjust thembefore finally tightening the nuts to make sure that the joints betweenthe strips of leather or the like are covered. The metal strip membersI] are retained permanently in place when the nuts are tightened andthere is not any appreciable difiiculty in displacement thereof as wouldbe the case if other fastening means were employed.

In Figs. 8-11, I show a slightly different form of my invention. Theframe llll is substantially identical with the above described frame.The wire I04 differs slightly in cross section and is provided with earsI06 which are bent around into the rabbeted portion Hi3 of the frame. asshown in Fig. 9, to hold the wire in place. The ends of the members I I!are notched as indicated at 23 to fit the corners of the wire. Theresult is substantially the same as that above described.

In Fig. 12, I show a slightly different form of my invention. There,instead of providing a miter joint between the leather strips 2 I4, Iprovide an additional square of leather or the like 24 covering thecorner. The members 2!! cover the joints between the strip 2 l4 and thesquare 24 in substantially the same way that the members l1 and H1 coverthe joints between the strips H! and H4 in the other forms of theinvention described.

It will be apparent that the structure which I have provided can be madevery inexpensively from strip leather and that it will be a permanentstructure which will last indefinitely and which will have a desirableappearance. I have de scribed several forms of my invention but have notexhausted all possible forms. It will be apparent from the abovedescription that other forms of the invention may be employed and I havedefined my invention in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a picture frame, the combination of a substantially rectangularbase frame, a plurality of strips of leather or the like covering theface of said base frame and having their ends mitered to form miterjoints at the corners of said frame, apertures through said base frameat the joints of said strips, a wire fitting in said frame, and metalstrip members overlying the joints of said strips and concealing thesame, and extending from and forming continuations of said wire, eachhaving a screw threaded pin projecting from the back and spaced from theends thereof and extending through one of said apertures, said membersbeing shaped to conform to the surface contour of the frame, each havinga nut threadedly engaging its pin and the back of the frame andretaining said member in position in tight engagement with the face ofthe frame at the juncture of said leather strips, the back of said framebeing countersunk at said apertures to receive said nuts.

2. In a picture frame, the combination of a substantially rectangularbase frame, a plurality of strips of leather or the like covering theface of said base frame and having their ends mitered to form miterjoints at the corners of said frame, apertures through said base frameat the joints of said strips, a wire fitting in said frame, and metalstrip members overlying the joints of said strips and concealing thesame, and extending from and forming continuations of said wire, eachhaving a screw threaded pin projecting from the back and spaced from theends thereof and extending through one of said apertures, said membersbeing shaped to conform to the surface contour of the frame, each havinga nut threadedly engaging its pin and the back of the frame andretaining said member in position in tight engagement with the face ofthe frame at the juncture of said leather strips.

3. In a picture frame, the combination of a substantially rectangularbase frame, a plurality of strips of leatheror the like covering theface of said base frame and having their ends mitered to form miterjoints at the corners of said frame, apertures through said base frameat the joints of said strips, and metal strip members overlying thejoints of said strips and concealing the same, each having a screwthreaded pin projecting from the back and spaced from the ends thereofand extending through one of said apertures, said members being shapedto conform to the surface contour of the frame, each having a nutthreadedly engaging its pin and the back of the frame and retaining saidmember in position in tight engagement with the face of the frame at thejuncture of said leather strips.

4. In a picture frame, the combination of a base frame, a plurality ofstrips of leather or the like extending longitudinally on and coveringthe face of said base frame with their ends in abutting relationship,apertures through said base frame at the joints between said strips, awire fitting in said frame, and metal strip members overlying the jointsof said strips and concealing the same and extending from and formingcontinuations of said wire, each having a screw threaded pin projectingfrom the back and spaced from the ends thereof and extending through oneof said apertures, said members being shaped to conform to the surfacecontour of the frame, each having a nut threadedly engaging its pin andthe back of the frame and retaining said member in position in tightengagement with the face of the frame at the juncture of said leatherstrips.

5. In a picture frame. the combination of a base frame. a plurality ofstrips of leather or the like extending longitudinally on and coveringthe face of said base frame with their ends in abutting relationship.apertures through said base I'rame at the joints between said strips,and metal strip members overlying the joints of said strips andconcealing the same, each having a screw threaded pin projecting fromthe back and spaced from the ends thereof and extending through one ofsaid apertures, said members being shaped to conform to the surfacecontour of the frame, each having a nut threadedly engaging its pin andthe back of the frame and retaining said member in position in tightengagement with the face of the frame at the juncture of said leatherstrips.

6. The combination of a picture frame made up of a plurality of jointedpieces, apertures through said frame at the joints, a wire fitting insaid frame and metal strip members overlying members being shaped toconform to the surface contour of said frame, each having a nutthreadedly engaging-its pin and the back of the frame and retainingsaid'member in position in tight engagement with the face of the frame.I

WYATTM. KING.

